Morris tribune., 1887-01-26

the least IN the world. A very rat.
ural supposition occurred Is me,
namely, that one of my friends had
come to pay meAEtslt. The concierge,
to whGM / had given instructions
| when | went out, had naturally told
the visitor that would soon be back,
and had lent his own key. And then
all the other incidents OF my return
flashed throught my mind in q second
the opening OF the door at once, my
own door simply pulled TO, etc.
My friend, whose hair alone could
see over the back of the chair, had
evidently dropped asleep while wait
ing for my return, and l proceeded to
wake him up. then got distinct
view OF him; his right AIM hung down;
his feet were crossed one over the 9th
err, and the way his head dropped, a
little to the left 81 the arm chair,
showed plainly enough that he WIS
asleep. l asked myself Who is it?
| Anyhow the h2ht III the was not
strong es:3ugh TO see perfectly by.
! p'lt out my hand to touch his shoulder.
My hand touched only the wood CT
the chair! Nobody was there Tie
chair was empty'
Mercy what L shock it gave me-
First / taaped back as if some terrible
| peril had made itself visible. Then |
turned round, feeling that somebody
was behind me; then, almost as quick.
| ~, an imperative desire to look at
that chair again made me wheel
round Il second time, NH3 | stood
there painting with fear-so hewldered
as to be incapable OF thinking, on the
very point of falling.
! But | am by nature cool man, and
my self-poSsession soon returned. [
thought to myself; 81 have Just had
a Observation-Disclosures is ALI" And /
immediately began to reflect on the
phenomenon. In such moments the
mind operates very rapidly.
had had a Observation-Disclosures vas
an incontestable fact Now my mind
had all the time remained clear, per-
forming Its functions regularly and
logically. There was consequently no
real affection of the brain. The eyes
alone had been deluded. and had de-
luded my Imagination. The eyes had
a Vislon-one Of those visions that
make simple minded folks believe in
miracles. 1t was simply nervous
accident to the optical apparatus
nothing more; perhaps there was
slight congestion.
And lighted my candle. As bent
down over the fire I found myself
trembling, and I drew myself up again
with q Sudden start, as if some one
had touched me from behind.
Certainly my nerves were out of cf-
der.
walked to and fro for little while.
I talked aioud to myself. hummed
{. few airs.
Then l double-locked the door ofmy
room, and | begun to feel somewhat
treasured. At all events. nobody
could get in.
Again I sat down, and for long time
Thought ever nay adventure. Then |
went to bed and blew out my light.
For q few minutes every thing SEEM
ed oil right | remained lying quietly
on my back. Then felt an irrosisti-
bic desire to take lock at my room,
and turned evrf on my side.
My ti-C held only two or three red
cnlbers, which barely lighted the legs
OF the chair; and | thought l saw the
man sitting there again.
| struck a match quickly. But l
had been mistaken; / could see moth
ing.
Nevertheless l got up took the
chair, and placed it out of sight be.
hind my bed.
Then l made everything dark again,
and tried to 60 to sleep, I could not
have sunk into Inconsistencies for
more than five minutes when saw in
a dream, and as distinctly as reality
Itself, the whole incident Of that even
ing. I woke up in terror, and after
making a light sat Up in bed without
daring te try to go to sleep again.
Sleep, notwithstanding, twice seized
uponfor few moments, in spite ofmy.
self. Twice saw the slime thing.
thought I had actually gore mad.
When daylight appeared felt COM
pletely cured, and l took a peaceful
sleep until midday.
1t had passed, entirely passed. Ihad
had a fever, a nightmare, or some
thing of the sort. Anyhow had been
sick. Nevertheless [ thought myself
very much of a fool.
That day | was quite Jolly. dined
at the carbaret, went to the theatre,
and then started for home But 10!
as drew near my house, d strange
sense of uneasiness took possession of
me. / was afraid of seeing him again
him! Not afraid of him precisely
not afraid of his presence, in which
did not believe; but afraid of another
optical trouble, afraid of the halluci-
nation, afraid of The fear which would
come upon me.
For more than an hour l kept walk
ing up and down the sidewalk. Then |
at last I decided this was absolutefol- |
ly, and | went in. | painted SO much |
that could scarcely climb the stairs.
| stood for fully ten minutes more on
the landing, in front of my room. !
Then, suddenly, felt a rush of cour-
age, q bracing up of will. | plunged |
my key i'll the keyhole; | rushed for
ward with lighted candle in my
hand; kicked in the unfastened door |
of the room, and l threw one terrified
glance at the fireplace. | saw moth
ing. All!
What a relief! What Joy! What q
deliverance! went to and fro with u
staggering air. But still ] did not
feel perfectly confident. would turn
roun1 by fits and starts to look be-
hind me; the darkness in the corners
of the room frightened me.
I slept badly, being necessarily |
startled out of my rest by imaginary
noises. But / never saw him. No.
That was all over
Ever since that day l have been
afraid to be alone at night. l can feel
it there, close to me-the vision! 1t
did not make it's appearance again
oh, no! And what matter, anyhow,
since | don't believe in it, since know
that it is nothing?
Still it annoyed me, because l keep
all the time thinking about it, One
arm was hanging down on the right
side; his head dropped little to the
left, like that OF q man asleep Come,
that's enough OF it, nom de Dieu! /
don't want to think about il anv moral